Associate Teacher (SC)
Program Overview:
Step into the Classroom Without Needing a Degree!
You love learning and sharing your knowledge with others, but instead of diving into a career as a teacher, you want to gain more experience before you start. By completing the Associate Teacher Skill Certificate, you will be ready to step into the classroom with a strong understanding and foundation to be able to help professional teachers in their classrooms. This is a short-term time investment that will allow you understand child growth, development, and early education, while you gain experience.
With an Associate Teacher Skill Certificate, you’ll be prepared to assist teachers with their lesson plans, help in the classroom, and foster children’s natural love of learning. This is the quickest path to get into the classroom, and you can apply any units you’ve earned here toward a degree in the future!
Careers as an Associate Teacher
Associate teachers most typically work in the classroom. While not trained to lead the daily lessons at the elementary level, they play a pivotal role in a child’s early education and can serve as preschool teachers and childcare workers.
Here are some possible occupations you could have by receiving an Associate Teacher Skills Certificate:
Career information below taken from bls.gov November 2019. Go to bls.gov for most current career information.
Educate and care for children younger than age 5 who have not yet entered kindergarten.
Data for Los Angeles/Long Beach/Anaheim
| Typical Education Level: | Salary: | Hourly Median Wage: |
|---|---|---|
| Associate Degree | $38,190/year | $18.36/hour |
| Work Experience in a Related Occupation: | Job Outlook 2018-2028: | Number of Jobs 2018: |
| None needed | 7% increase (as fast as average) | 17,040 |
Attend to the basic needs of children, such as dressing, bathing, feeding, and overseeing play.
Data for Los Angeles/Long Beach/Anaheim
| Typical Education Level: | Salary: | Hourly Median Wage: |
|---|---|---|
| High school diploma or equivalent | $27,880/year | $13.41/hour |
| Work Experience in a Related Occupation: | Job Outlook 2018-2028: | Number of Jobs 2018: |
| None needed | 5% increase (as fast as average) | 22,250 |
Work with a licensed teacher to give students additional attention and instruction.
Data for Los Angeles/Long Beach/Anaheim
| Typical Education Level: | Salary: | Hourly Median Wage: |
|---|---|---|
| Some college | $36,460/year | N/A |
| Work Experience in a Related Occupation: | Job Outlook 2018-2028: | Number of Jobs 2018: |
| None needed | 5% increase (as fast as average) | 52,700 |
Help librarians with all aspects of running a library.
National data
| Typical Education Level: | Salary: | Hourly Median Wage: |
|---|---|---|
| Postsecondary Certificate | $29,640/year | $14.25/hour |
| Work Experience in a Related Occupation: | Job Outlook 2018-2028: | Number of Jobs 2018: |
| None needed | -3% decrease (decline) | 189,100 |
What You’ll Learn at LASC in Associate Teaching
It only takes 12 units to get your Skill Certificate in Associate Teacher at LASC. You’ll be on your way to a rewarding career in education after learning the core principles and practices involved in child development and the relationship of families, schools, and the community. This certificate will allow you to:
- Advance your knowledge of a child’s growth and development so you will understand where a child should be within their development so you know if a child is where they should be developmentally, or if a child needs extra assistance in moving to the next developmental step.
- Gain insight into curriculum development in early education so you can prepare your own curriculum that meets the diverse needs of your students, and so that you can assist the teachers you work with implement their curriculum for the students.
- Want to get a bachelor’s degree? If you haven’t received your associate degree, LASC offers associate degrees in Child Development, as well as an Associate in Science in Early Childhood Education for Transfer degree. You will save money on your first two years of college learning from resourceful faculty before you transfer to a four-year college or university. You can even receive a guaranteed transfer into a CSU, and some UCs! Visit your academic counselor to find out more.
Degrees & Courses You Will Take
Review LASC’s Skill Certificate in Associate Teacher, along with our suggested course of study for this program. Go to LASC’s current Course Catalog for specific course information:
Major Code: 1305.01
Total Units Required: 12
Upon completion of this program, you should be able to:
- Integrate understanding of the needs, the characteristics and multiple influences on the development of children from birth to age eight as it relates to optimum growth and development.
- Create developmentally appropriate strategies, techniques, and curriculum incorporating domains of learning, health, safety, nutrition, as well as anti-bias and adaptation principles for working with typical and atypical developing children.
- Implement various early childhood environmental rating scales and assessment tools.
- Compare and contrast the basic theories in child development, family studies, as well as historical perspectives of ECE programs.
- Uphold professional standards (based on NAEYC Code of Ethics) for job seeking, respecting, interacting, and communicating with others (parents, staff, children, community members, colleagues and peers).
- Demonstrate strategies and techniques for building sensitive and respectful family and community relationships.
- Develop critical-thinking and problem-solving skills for learning and promoting learning in young children.
| Required Courses: | Units |
|---|---|
| CH DEV 1 Child Growth and Development | 3 |
| CH DEV 2 Early Childhood: Principles and Practices | 3 |
| CH DEV 7 Introduction to Early Childhood Curriculum | 3 |
| OR | |
| CH DEV 8 Curriculum in Early Childhood Education | 3 |
| CH DEV 11 Child, Family and Community | 3 |
| CH DEV 16 The Growing Brain I: From Birth to Five years old | 2 |
| CH DEV 17 The Growing Brain I: From Birth to Five years old | 2 |
| TOTAL UNITS | 16 |
Get Ready Before You Start
Interested in a career in teaching? Before your first class starts at LASC, you can start preparing for your early childhood education career:
- Make an appointment with your LASC academic counselor to review LASC’s program, develop a Student Education Plan (SEP), and discuss your career goals to see if getting an associate or even transferring to a four-year college or university may be beneficial for you goals for your future.
- Still in high school? Contact local elementary schools and preschools to see if you could observe for an afternoon to watch teachers in action. Talk with your high school counselor to see if they can recommend any local opportunities that you could be a part of.
- Once you’re at LASC, make sure to get involved with on-campus clubs and organizations, such as the Urban Teacher Fellowship, Making a Difference in Education (MADE), and Toastmasters, or become a student ambassador, or run for student body government. These create new relationships and show educators and potential employers your commitment to learning, building your critical-thinking and leadership skills, and getting to know your community.
Clubs, Organizations, & Grants
Make the most with your time at LASC, and gain career experience while meeting and working with others who want to further their knowledge and experience for a thriving career in child development:
Child Development Teacher Grant – get money to help pay for your child development education so you can enter the field of childcare and development in a licensed children’s center.
Program Learning Outcomes
As a student, once you successfully complete this certificate program, you should be able to:
- Integrate understanding of the needs, the characteristics and multiple influences on the development of children from birth to age eight as it relates to optimum growth and development.
- Create developmentally appropriate strategies, techniques, and curriculum incorporating domains of learning, health, safety, nutrition, as well as anti-bias and adaptation principles for working with typical and atypical developing children.
- Implement various early childhood environmental rating scales and assessment tools.
- Compare and contrast the basic theories in child development, family studies, as well as historical perspectives of ECE programs.
- Uphold professional standards (based on NAEYC Code of Ethics) for job seeking, respecting, interacting, and communicating with others (parents, staff, children, community members, colleagues and peers).
- Demonstrate strategies and techniques for building sensitive and respectful family and community relationships.
- Develop critical-thinking and problem-solving skills for learning and promoting learning in young children.